Shelley (name)

Shelley
Pronunciation/ˈʃɛli/
GenderUnisex
Language(s)English
Origin
Language(s)English
Word/nameShelley (various places)
DerivationOld English: scylf + lēaf
Meaning'clearing on a bank/shelf'
Region of originEngland
Other names
Variant form(s)Shelly
Related namesShirley, Michelle, Michel, Michele, Sheldon, Shelton, Rachelle, Rochelle, Shel
[1]

Shelley is a given name and surname. In many baby name books, Shelley is listed as meaning 'meadow's edge' or 'clearing on a bank'. It is Old English in origin. As with many other names (Courtney, Ashley, etc.), Shelley is today a name given almost exclusively to girls after historically being male. It is commonly used as a nickname for Michelle (and formerly as a variant of Shirley). Shelley is also a transferred surname used by those in Essex, Suffolk and Yorkshire, particularly in settlements where a wood/clearing was beside a ledge or hillside. Shelly is a common alternative spelling. It is featured in tile on the ceiling of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.[clarification needed]

Notable people with the name include:

Surname

Given name

Women

Men

Code name

Fictional characters

Animals

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (1988). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press. p. 488. ISBN 0-19-211592-8. Retrieved 19 November 2024 – via Internet Archive.